Flattened can body manufacturing machine



Aug. 28, 1945.

|. D. THORNBURGH 2,383,523`

FLATTENED CAN BODY MANUFACTURING MACHINE Filed Dec. 3, 1943 5Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 2s, 194s.

l. D. THORNBURGH FLATTENED CAN BODY MANUFACTURING MACHINE Filed Deo. 5,1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 n lz INVENTOR.

www

BYQQM y A T TOP/WSYS Aug. 28, 1945. l. D. THORNBURGH FLATTENED CAN BODYMANUFACTURING MACHINE Filed Deo. 5, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

Aug- 28, 1945- D. THORNBURGH 2,383,523

FLATTENED CAN BODY MANUFACTURING MACHINE Filed Dec. 3, 1943 5Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR.

im f

mkh

,4 TToe/VE YS Allg. 28, 1945. l. D. THORNBURGH I FLATTNED CAN BODYMANUFACTURING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.@lm-.M QW BY Z2 7 TToE//'a/-LS Patented Aug. 28, 1945 FLATTENED CAN BODYMANUFACTURING MACHINE Ivan D. Thornburgh, Leonla, N. J., assig'nor toAmerican Can Company, New York, N. Y., a. corporation of New JerseyApplication December 3, 1943, Serial No. 512,832 l1 Claims. (01.164-68)The present invention relates to the manufacture of containers or cansvfrom seamless or seamed tubing that has been flattened into double wallribbon form and wound onto spools for convenience in shipment andstorage and has particular reference to an apparatus for cutting theilattened tubing into can body lengths and for distributing theresulting flattened can bodies to a plurality of machines incident tothe manufacture of such bodies into cans.

An object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus for severingcan bodies from fiattened double wall ribbon form of seamless or seemedtubing wherein the flattened tubing is cut into can body lengths whichthereupon are advanced in timed order and are distributed to a pluralityof machines such as reforming machines in which the flattened can bodiesmay be formed into desired can body shape, to the end that production oican bodies will take .place at a high rate of speed.

Another object is the provision in such a machine of vacuum devices forholding cut-olf flattened or partially formed can bodies under controlduring their movement through the machine so that the bodies may beproperly distributed to a plurality of different places of deposit andin timed order.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the following description, which, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferredembodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of a machine embodying the instantinvention, with parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken substantially along the broken line2 2 in Fig. l, with parts broken away;

Figs. 3, 4i and 5 are longitudinal vertical sections taken substantiallyalong the lines 3 3, 4 4 and 5--5 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a collapsed can fbody producedand distributed -by the machine; and

Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical section taken substantially along the(broken line l-l in Fig. 3.

As a preferred embodiment of the instant invention the drawings disclosea high speed machine for cutting oii` collapsed can bodies A (Fig. 6)from a continuously moving metal tube B (Fig. 3) that has been flattenedinto the form of a double wall ribbon. The machine is also directed todistributing these crut-od collapsed can bodies to a plurality ofsubsequent operation machines such as reforming machines or the like asan incident in the manufacture of tubular sheet metal can bodies. Theribbon of tubing is substantially continuous in length and is madepreferably from aluminum or aluminum alloy which is well adapted tocertain kinds of containers such as beer or other beverage cans.

The ribbon of tubing B may be fed from a supply of tubing which has beenreeled in a, compact coil on a spool or the like (not shown) and iscontinuously advanced into the machine, preferably in a horizontalposition. This feeding or advancing of the ribbon of tubing is broughtabout by a pair of horizontally disposed feed rollers ll, l2 (Fig. 3)between which the flattened tubing passes. These rollers are mounted oneabove the other on short drive shafts i3, lil, journaled in bearings l5,l5 (see also Figs. l and 2) formed in a pair of spaced and parallel sideframes l? which constitute the main frame of the machine.

The feed rollers ll, l2 are continuously rotated in synchronism by apair of meshing spur gears 2l, 22 (Figs. l and 4) which are mounted onthe roller drive shafts i3, M. The upper gear 2l is driven Iby an idlergear 23 which is mounted on a cross shaft 2t journaled in bearings 25formed in the side frames. Gear 23 also meshes with and is driven by agear 2t keyed to a drive shaft 2l journaled in bearings 28 formed in theside frames. The drive shaft may be rotated in any suitable mer.

The ribbon of tubing B advanced into the machine by the feed rollers ll,l2 is received on a horizontal table 3l (Figs. 3 and 7) formed on andlocated between the spaced side frames ll. During its advancement acrossthe table, the tubing is maintained in place by a recessed side guideand hold-down plate 32 which is secured to the top of the table. f

As the advancing ribbon of tubing travels across the table 3l, itsleading end extends out into space beyond the inner edge of the tableand comes into a cutting oi station C (Fig. 3). At this station theleading end of the tubing is in tangential relation to a rotatingcut-ofi head D which cuts the tubing into can -body lengths.

The cut=-oii head D is located between the side frames il and includes astar shaped head member 35 (Figs. 2 and 3) which is mounted on androtates. in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3. with the maindrive shaft 2l. The head member is formed with a plurality of Wideflat-sided,

transverse nngers 33 which carry cutter blades 31. i

severing of the tubing B into can body lengths by the cutter blades 31of the head D is brought about in cooperation lwith auxiliary cut-oi!blades 4I which back up the tubing during the cutting.

The turret E is rotatably mounted on a stationary turret shaft 42 (Figs.2 and 3) keyed in place in bearings 43 formed in the side frames i1.This turret is continuously rotated in time with the cut-off head D andin a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, by' a. spur gear44 (see also Fig. 4) which is bolted to one side of the turret. The gearmeshes with' and is driven by the main driving gear 23 on the driveshaft 21.

Hence as the attened tubing B advances into the cutting-off station C,between the rotating cut-off head D and the rotating carrier turret E,the blades 31 of the head and the auxiliary blades 4i of the turretcooperate in engaging opposite sides of the tubing and sever can bodylengths therefrom. This action continues uninterruptedly and collapsedcan bodies A are produced in rapid succession.

During this cutting off operation Just prior to the can body A beingsevered from the ribbon of tubing, and also just after cutting, it ish'eld under complete control by suction or vacuum cups 52 (Figs. 2 and3). These cups are carried on the turret E, there being a cup adiacenteach auxiliary cut-oi! blade 4i. in a coupling 53 wnich is threaded intothe outer peripheral face of the turret. When a, vacuum cup 52 is firstbrought into engagement with' the free end of the ribbon A, a vacuum isestablished. The cup thereupon grips the tubing and holds it fest sothat the severing which immediately follows is done in a precise manner.

After being cut on, the cups 52 continue to hold th'e body while therotating turret E carries the body around to a place of deposit. In theinstant machine the desired place of deposit for a particular can-bodyis selected from a plurality of chutes 55 (Fig. 3). These chutes lead tomagazines 53 of subsequent operation machines, such as body reformingmachines. The drawings show ilve of these chutes 55 arranged around th'eperiphery of the turret although it will be obvious that the inventionis equally well adapted for use with any number of such chutes.

In order to selectively distribute a cut-oil can body A to its properreceiving chute 35, the vacuum cups 52 are arranged in groups of anumber equal to the number of chutes. In the present embodiment, asshown in the drawings, there are five cups in each group and the totalnumber of cups around the turret is therefore a multiple of five. Forconvenience in explanation one group of cups and the chutes to be servedby them are numbered from one to five in Fig. 3.

Hence with such a grouping of the cups, the body A held by cup number iwill be deposited into chute number I, when the cup is advanced adjacentits associated chute. In like manner, the body held by cup number 2 willbe deposited in ch'ute number 2, and so on until each body has beendeposited in its proper chute. In this manner the can bodies aredistributed equally Each cup is fastened A into the chutes 53 is broughtabout preferably by the timing of the making and the breaking of thevacuum in the cups l2. This timing is effected by a pair of stationaryvalve plates or discs 3i, 62 (Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5) which are keyed onthe stationary turret shaft 42 and which' are located one on each sideof the turret and in engagement therewith. Valve disc 3| is used inconnection with the numbered I, 2 and 3 suction cups, while valve disc32 functions for suction cups numbered 4 and 5.

Valve plate 3l is formed with three concentric valve grooves 33, 33, 31(Figs. 2 and 5) which' extend partially around the inner face of theplate in various length. These grooves communicate with ports 33, 33,1l, which are formed in the plate and which connect with a pipe line 1Iwhich leads to any suitable source of vacuum. The grooves are spacedradially from each other and from the center oi' the valve plate inorde;- to individually serve the I, 2 and 3 cups 52 of each group offive.

The numbered I, 2 and 3.as well as the 4 and I cups 52 communicatethrough their couplings 63, with' radial channels 15 cut in the turretE. The channels of the numbered I, 2 and 3 cups terminate at their innerends in outlet ports 13 -which extend toward the left as in Fig. 2 andend at the face of the valve disc 3i. Similer outlet ports 16 for thenumbered cups 4 and 3 extend toward the right (Fig. 2) and end at theface of th'e valve disc 32. This will be better understood as thedescription proceeds.

The channels of each cup in a group of five cups are of differentlengths so that they will come into the Draper communication withdiiferent valve grooves in the valve plates 6I, 32. In this way the cupsnumbers I, 2, 3 of each group are served respectively by the grooves Il,33 and 61 in the valve plate 3i, while cups number 4 and 5 are served bysimilar concentric grooves 31, 3i (Fig. 4) cut in the face of the valveplate 62. Grooves 31, 3i communicate with ports 32, 93 whichalso leadinto the vacuum pipe line 1i.

Hence in operation, when a number I vacuum cup 52 comes into positionadjacent the free end of the tubing B at the cut-off station C its port13 simultaneously comes into register with the vacuum groove 35 and thusbrings the cup into communication with the source of vacuum. It is thisaction that causes the cup to grip and vhold the tubing. The port 13sweeps along the arcuate length of th'e groove 35 and the vacuum in thecup holds the body after it is cut off.

When the body held by a number I cup reaches chute number I, the vacuumis broken to release the hold on the body. This is brought about by theport 13 having reached the end of the groove 65 in the valve plate 6I.Thereafter the body may be stripped off the cup and will be depositedinto the chute as will be hereinafter explained.

In like manner, all the other vacuum cups 52 of each group of flveoperate to establish a vacuum in the cups, successively at the cut-ofistation C. When the can body with its vacuum cup reaches its respectivechute it will be released by breaking of the vacuum. Thus it will beobserved that the selective vacuum operation of a vacuum cup is theresult of winch groove B5, 86, 61, 31 or 9i is in communication with itsradialchannels 13 and ports 13.

`Stripping. of acollapsedcan body ,A from a vacuum .cup 52l when itreaches its propergchute 55 is broughtabout by a stripper vacuum cup |0|(Figs. 2 and 3). 'These strippercupsare mounted on rotatable strippermembers or selective distributilngjdevicesI |02 (Fig. 2) which in turnare mountedV on short cross shafts |03 journaled in bearings |04 formedin the side frames i1. The distributing members are continuously rotatedby respective spur gears |05 (FigsQZand 4) which are rcarried'onthezcross shafts and which mesh withvthe turret gear 4,4., l

There vis one of the stripper members |02 located at the entrance end ofeach chute 55. The stripper cup |0| on each member is positioned inproper relation so that it will come into position with a held body onthe turret only when that body is held by a cup corresponding to thechute into which the body is to be discharged. This relation is clearlydiscernible from Fig. 3 of the drawings.

The stripper cups |0| are vacuumized at the proper time by way ofchannels (Fig. 2) the outer ends of which come into register with curvedvacuum grooves I2 formed in stationary valve discs H3 mounted on thecross shafts |03 and secured to one of each pair of the shaft bearings|01. The vacuum grooves are formed with ports ||4 which communicate withpipes ||5 (Fig. 1) leading into the vacuum pipe line 1|. 'I'here is oneof these valve discs' foreach stripper member.

Hence, for example, when a' vacuum cup 52 of the number 2 series in eachgroup brings its held can body A into position adjacent the entrance endofthe chute number 2, the stripper cup |0| located at that chute comes.into'engagement with the body on the side opposite to that engaged bythe cups 52, as best shown in Fig. 3. At this time the vacuum channel inthe stripper member |02 comes into communication with the vacuum groove||2 in the valve disc I3 and as a result a vacuum is created in thestripper cup. The cup thus gripsfthe body and .pulls it away from itsholding suction cup 52.

yTo facilitatel the transfer of the body from a vacuum cup52 toastrippercup |0| a blast of compressed fair is forced into the. cup 52yto break.,v the vacuum therein and to-force the released bodyaway fromthe cup and into more positive engagement with-the stripper cup. Thisblast of compressed air is forced through the cup channels 15 intheturret when their ports 16 come into regis- It is thought 4thatthe-invention and manyor itsattendant advantages wlllbe understood fromthe foregoing description, and it lwill be apparent that various changesmay be madein the form, construction and arrangement ofthe parts withoutdeparting from the spiritiand scope of the invention or sacricing allofits material advantages.. the form hereinbefore described bein merely apreferred embodiment thereof. I claim: v

l. In a machine for making can bodies from tubing that hasl been attenedintovdouble wall ribbon form for convenience in shipment and storage,the combination of cuttingmeans for severing the flattened .tubing intocan body lengths to produce partially formed` can bodies,- means forreceiving said cut-off partially formed can bodies and for carrying themalong a path oi travel, distributing devices adjacent said path oftravel for engaging and holding a cut-ofi can body to strip it from saidreceiving means, and means for moving a distributing device intostripping position only when a cut-off can body is located in apredetermined position on said receiving means for selectively divertingthe partially formed can bodies into different places of deposit forfurther operations incidental to the manufacture o1' such can bodies,

2. In a machine ,for making can bodies from tubing that has been attenedinto double wall ribbon form for convenience in shipment and storage,the combination of feeding devices for advancing theilattened tubingcontinuously in a straight line of travel, cutting means adjacent saidfeeding devices for cutting the moving flattened tube as it advancesinto fiat can body lengths to produce partially formed can bodies,

means Vfor receiving said ilat cut-off partially;

formed can bodies and for carrying them along a path of traveliinI aflat condition, and distrib.-

ter withI respective airgrooves |2|, |22, |23, in v the valve plate 6Ior withsimilar grooves |24, |25 in the valve plate 62 as the case maybe. These air grooves are also arcuate in form and are dis-` posed.Aadjacent the ends of the vacuum grooves.

TheA air-.grooves maybe said toj constitute sep- ,iaratedmcontinuations` ci thevrespective vacuum grooves 65, 56, 61, B1,9|..` `The airgroovesare in communication jwith pipes ,5| 2l which leadfrom any suitable source of compressed air.

When a body A has been `picked up a shortcurved pathof travel by therotationot the stripper member.|02 and then is droppedinto ,6 theperiphery of said carrier turret and adjacent said`path of travelI fore'ng'agingand holding al by a stripper cup |0| from a vacuum cup 52, itis ycarried throughV the .adjacent chute 55. The vacuumchannel |I|` ygaged by the bodyas it movesalong itsgcircular` path of travel andinto-position over the entrance;`

end of the chute. -This engagement positively knocks the body` off `thestripper cup |0| in case it hasany tendency toclingiast.. l -f l utingdevices adjacent said pathof. travel for selectively diverting thepartially formed can bodies into diiIerent places of deposit for furtheroperations incidental to the manufacture of suchcan bodies, ,saiddistributing devices having meansthereon-for engaging and removing thesevered..

can bodies from said receiving means. l

3. In a machine fory making can bodies from tubing that has beenffiattened into double `wall ribbon form for kconvenience in shipmentandstorage, the combination of'cutting means for.

severing the 'ilattened tubing' into Vycan body lengths to producepartially formed canbodies, a rotatable carrier turret for receivingsaidcut-V off partially iormed can v`bodies and vfor guiding them alonga path oftravel', means onsaid turret for holding the partially formedcan bodies in place whilemoving with said turret, distributingv devicesarranged inspacd positions` along cutoi canbody to strip the latterirorn said turret, and means fior making said distributing de- ,Y

vices progressively Zeiective so that all distribut-,Q ing devicesengage and hold vsaid cut-,oil can bodies inthe order .oftheir:arrangementv on said'turret for selectively, diverting the,`guided partially formed'can bodies from said turret and for shiftingthein into diierentplaces of deposit. for further operations incidentalto the manufacture ot,y

such can bodies.

4. ma 4machine "in/making" cantdies fram' i l tubing that has ,beenflattened intodouble .walt` Iribbon form for conveniencelll Shipment andstorage, the combination of feeding devices for advancing the flattenedtubing continuously, ro-

nism with said advancing tubing, cut-off bladesspaced at intervalsaround said turret for cooperation with said cutting means for severingthe flattened tubing into can body lengths to produce partially formedcan bodies, means on said turret and disposed between said cut-offblades for holding the cut-off partially formed can bodies in placewhile moving with said turret, and distributing devices adjacent theperiphery of' said turret having means thereon for positively engagingand selectively stripping'the partially formed can bodies from saidturret and for shifting them into different places of deposit forfurther operations incidental to the manufacture of such can bodies.

5. In a machine for making can bodies from tubing that has'beenflattened into double wall ribbon form for convenience in shipment andstorage, the combination of feeding devices for y advancing theflattened tubing continuously, rotary cutting means atacent said feedingdevices for cutting into can body lengths,the moving flattened tube asit advances to produce partially formed can bodies, a rotatable turretadjacent said cutting means, cut-off blades spaced at intervals aroundsaid turret for cooperation with said cutting means for severing theflattened tubing, suction cups on said turret and disposed between saidcut-off blades for holding th cutoff partially formed can bodies inplace while moving with said turret, valve means communicating with asource of vacuum and with said suction cups during a portion of theirtravel with said turret for attracting the partially formed can bodiesto said suction cups, distributing devices disposed adjacent theperiphery of said turret, and means carried 7by said distributingdevices for selectively removing the partially formed can bodies fromsaid suction cups and for shifting the can bodies into different placesof deposit for further operations incidental to the manufacture of suchcan bodies.

6. In a machine for making can bodies from -tubing that has beenflattened into double wall ribbon form for convenience in shipment andstorage. the combinationk of feeding devices for advancing the flattenedtubing continuously, rotary cutting means adjacent said feeding devicesfor cutting the moving flattened tube as it advances into can bodylengths to produce partially formed can bodies, a rotatable turretadjacent said cutting means, cut-off blades spaced at intervals aroundsaid turret for cooperation with said cutting means for severing theflattened tubing, suction cups on said turret and disposed between saidcut-oi blades for holding the cut-off partially formed can bodies inplace while moving with said turret, valve means communicating with asource of vacuum and with said suction cups during a portion of theirtravel with said turret for attracting -the partially formed can bodiesto said suction cups, distributing devices adjacent the periphery ofsaid turret for selectively removing the partially formed can bodiesfrom said turret and for shifting them into different places of depositfor further operations incidental to the manufacture of such can bodies,and means for introducing compressed air into said suction cups whenthey come adjacent said distributing devices to facilitate removal ofthe partially formed can bodies from said turret.

7. In a machine for making can bodies from tubing that has beenflattened into double wall ribbon form for convenience in shipment andstorage, the combination of cutting means for severing the flattenedtubing into can body lengths to'produce partially formed can bodies, arotatable carrier turret for receiving said cu-toff partially formed canbodies and for carrying them around a curved path of travel, adistributing member disposed adjacent the periphery of said carrierturret and rotatable in time with said carrier turret, and means on saiddistributing member for positively engaging and stripping the partiallyformed can bodies from said carrier turret to distribute them to a placeof deposit for further operations as an incident in the manufacture ofsuch can bodies.

8. In a machine for making can bodies from tubing 'that has beenflattened into double wall ribbon form for convenience in shipment andstorage, the combination of cutting means for severing the flattenedtubing into can body lengths to produce partially formed can bodies, arotatable carrier turret for receiving said cutoff partially formed canbodies and for carrying them around a curved path of travel, a.distributing member disposed adjacent the periphery of said carrierturret and rotatable in time with said carrier turret, a suction cup onsaid distributing member for positively engaging and removing thepartially formed can 'bodies from said carrier turret to distribute themto a place of deposit for further operations as an incident in themanufacture of such can bodies, and valve means communicating with asource of vacuum and with said suction cup for attracting the partiallyformed can bodies from the carrier turret to the suction cup.

9. In a machine for making can bodies from tubing that has beenflattened into double wall ribbon form for convenience in shipment andstorage, the combination of cutting means for severing the flattenedtubing into can body lengths to produce partially formed can bodies, arotatable carrier turret located adjacent said cutting means, suctioncups carried on said turret and extending beyond its periphery forholding said flattened tubing during the cutting of and for receivingsaid cut-off partially (formed can bodies for carrying the same along acurved path of travel. a plurality of distributing members disposedadjacent the periphery of said carrier turret and rotatable in timetherewith, a suction cup on each of said distributing members forengaging a can Ibody on its surface opposite to the surface held by saidturret suction cup for stripping the body from the turret cup thusselectively distributing said can bodies to a plurality of differentplaces of deposit for further operations incidental to the manufactureof such can bodies, and valve means communicating with a source ofvacuum and with each of said suction cups to facilitate removal of thepartially formed can bodies from said carrier turret.

10. In a machine for making can bodies from tubing that has beenflattened into double wall ribbon form for convenience in shipment andstorage, the combination of cutting means for severing the flattenedtubing into can body lengths to produce partially formed can bodies. arotatable carrier turret for receiving said cut-on' partially formed canbodies and for carrying them around a curved path oi travel, adistributing member disposed adjacent the periphery of said carrierturret and rotatable in time with said carrier turret, a suction cup onsaid distributing member for engaging and removing the partially formedcan bodies from said carrier turret to distribute them to a. place ofdeposit for further operations as an incident in the manufacture of suchcan bodies, stripper means disposed adjacent said distributing memberfor stripping the removed partially formed can bodies from said suctioncup, and means for receiving and for guiding the stripped-olf can bodiesto their place of deposit.

11. In a machine for making can bodies from tubing that has beenflattened into double wall ribbon form for convenience in shipment andstorage, the combination of cutting means for severing the attenedtubing into can body length to produce partially formed can bodies, arotatable turret located adjacent said cutting means, a plurality ofseparated localities of deposit arranged around the periphery of saidturret, suction cups carried by said turret with one of said cupscorresponding to each of said localities of deposit, and distributingdevices located adjacent each of said localities, said distributingdevices each having means thereon for positively engaging and removing apartially formed can body from a said suction cup, and means foroperating each of said distributing devices to insure only the removalof a partially formed can body from the said corresponding suction cupwithout affecting any can bodies held by suction cups not correspondingto a particular distributing device, whereby each can body is deliveredto a selected predetermined locality of deposit. IVAN D. THORNBURGH.

